New Attempt to Legalize Online Poker in California

27/02/2013

Online poker may soon become a legal reality in the US State of California after State Senator Lou Correa introduced new legislation this week. If passed, the SB678 bill would allow poker websites to be created in California and Californians to play on these sites.

The Poker Sun is Shining

The drive to legalize online gambling across the United States is becoming unstoppable, with California the most recent region to get in on the act. On Friday State Senator Lou Correa introduced a bill which would make poker legal in cities including Los Angeles and Sacramento. The bill is only in its early stages, but if passed it would see California following the examples of states including Nevada and New Jersey. Correa proposed a very similar bill last year only to see it shot down at the committee stage. The Senator has argued that legalizing poker would create some 1,300 jobs for local workers and generate an incredible $1.4 billion for the local economy. The aim is to add a Chapter 5.2 to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code. If passed, this would only be the start for the long road to online gambling legalization for California. The state would then need to create a regulatory framework and distribute licenses.